Last updated: January 8, 2025
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Stagville Descendants Council (Durham, North Carolina)
African American Civil Rights Network
The Stagville Descendants Council helps to preserve and share the history of Stagville, a former plantation in Durham, North Carolina, including narratives of its enslaved African population and African American descendants, and their contributions to American society.
Stagville Plantation was established in the late 1700s. It became one of the most extensive plantations in the U.S. South, sprawling approximately 30,000 acres across several counties. As many as 900 enslaved women, men, and children labored on the property. Following emancipation, formerly enslaved people at Stagville built new lives on the plantation, in Durham, and beyond. Stagville descendants have made significant contributions to the advancement of African Americans, including the Civil Rights Movement.
The Stagville Descendants Council, comprised of individuals with familial ties to the plantation, stewards and promotes African American history at Stagville Plantation and histories of peoples descended from the plantation’s enslaved population. The Council’s efforts include connecting descendants and facilitating exploration of their shared heritage, families, and legacies. It also educates the public about the plantation and broader African American history through educational programs, exhibits, and tours. In addition, the Council engages in community outreach and collaborates with schools, community organizations, and cultural institutions on initiatives. Further, it partners with preservationists, historians, and government agencies to maintain and protect the Stagville Plantation, including its cemeteries, structures, records, and artifacts.
The Stagville Descendants Council became a part of the African American Civil Rights Network in 2024.
The African American Civil Rights Network recognizes the African American Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the sacrifices made by those who fought against discrimination and segregation. Created by the African American Civil Rights Act of 2017, and coordinated by the National Park Service, the Network tells the stories of the people, places, and events of the U.S. African American Civil Rights Movement through a collection of public and private resources to include properties, facilities, and programs.
The Stagville Descendants Council helps to preserve and share the history of Stagville, a former plantation in Durham, North Carolina, including narratives of its enslaved African population and African American descendants, and their contributions to American society.
Stagville Plantation was established in the late 1700s. It became one of the most extensive plantations in the U.S. South, sprawling approximately 30,000 acres across several counties. As many as 900 enslaved women, men, and children labored on the property. Following emancipation, formerly enslaved people at Stagville built new lives on the plantation, in Durham, and beyond. Stagville descendants have made significant contributions to the advancement of African Americans, including the Civil Rights Movement.
The Stagville Descendants Council, comprised of individuals with familial ties to the plantation, stewards and promotes African American history at Stagville Plantation and histories of peoples descended from the plantation’s enslaved population. The Council’s efforts include connecting descendants and facilitating exploration of their shared heritage, families, and legacies. It also educates the public about the plantation and broader African American history through educational programs, exhibits, and tours. In addition, the Council engages in community outreach and collaborates with schools, community organizations, and cultural institutions on initiatives. Further, it partners with preservationists, historians, and government agencies to maintain and protect the Stagville Plantation, including its cemeteries, structures, records, and artifacts.
The Stagville Descendants Council became a part of the African American Civil Rights Network in 2024.
The African American Civil Rights Network recognizes the African American Civil Rights Movement in the United States and the sacrifices made by those who fought against discrimination and segregation. Created by the African American Civil Rights Act of 2017, and coordinated by the National Park Service, the Network tells the stories of the people, places, and events of the U.S. African American Civil Rights Movement through a collection of public and private resources to include properties, facilities, and programs.